A Visit from the Past
by Jane S. Gold
Summary: School term has ended. Everyone at Hogwarts is gone, except for Dumbledore and the Potions teacher. A recurring dream will make him struggle to search for it's meaning, and discover certain secrets from an old friend...
1. It All Begins

What a cold and silent night this was. He was glad that finally there was quiet. At last, he could be able to clear his mind and, for once, analyze that one dream that was recurrently waking him up every night for the past two weeks. Yet, this wasn't relieving at all, since if he was to go further with this idea, he would have to deal with scars of his past. But he couldn't just leave it right there. He had to know. That's why he chose this night in particular. He knew no one would be there to interfere with his plan, since school term had ended a week ago. All students were back home, as well as the staff at Hogwarts. The only ones who remained in the castle were Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster, and himself, Severus Snape.

One would ask why they where still there? Why didn't they go back to their homes? What were they up to?

Obviously, they where both aware of their presence, but they never had a conversation that lasted more than two words. Due to the dimensions of the castle, they barely bumped into each other. Dumbledore was most of the time at his office, walking nervously from one part to the other, and Severus used to wander through the empty classes, reading different books which looked like they had been taken from the Restricted Section of the library. Since no one was around, he could do whatever he wanted. He could go to any part of the castle. He was free to explore every single room.

Dumbledore had let him stay, as long as he accepted some terms: he was not to bring anyone to the grounds of Hogwarts without his permission, and he could only leave if he asked for it and was allowed to go.

Reluctantly, Severus accepted. He knew he wouldn't be there if it wasn't for a reason in particular, and Albus knew that.

That one reason was his dream. Severus hadn't slept properly ever since this dream had first appeared. It kept waking him up in the middle of the night, his face covered in sweat and his heart racing like a horse stampede. He would even start trembling and he would be forced to spend the rest of the night trying to calm down. However, he wouldn't let anyone see how tired he was. He kept taking points from Gryffindor and giving detentions to students, but, deep inside him, he was falling apart. His weariness due to the lack of sleep wasn't the only cause of his internal collapse, it was the moment in particular where the dream took place that affected him the most.

But now that everyone was gone, he could stop pretending. He had done some research at the library and was finally ready for what he had to do.

That's why this was the perfect night to begin. He had told Dumbledore he would be up all night, and that he was not to be interrupted. Dumbledore accepted and, after wishing him good luck, he went to his office where he had a bed and fell asleep instantly.

"Now, it's time to work" said Snape, while he was heading to the Defence Against The Dark Arts classroom.

When he entered, he saw all the books he had read all week piled on a table, and his cauldron with several ingredients on another one. He placed his parchment and quill on the table where he sat, and started writing. He felt as if he was studying at Hogwarts again and, for one instant, he felt sympathy for his students. He used to give them loads of homework every day, but soon this feeling disappeared, after he saw in his mind Potter's face laughing and looking at him.

He had rewritten an entire book. But it wasn't a common book, it was a diary written in ancient runes. He had transcribed the text, and was now reading it, completely concentrated:

_"September 1st 1971_

_I'm so happy! Today has been my first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Today, I went through Plataform 9 3/4 with my trunk and my dear Hazel as a true Hogwarts student, and got into the Hogwarts Express! I've also met a girl named Lily and we shared a cabin. She told me it was her first day too and was really excited. She also introduced me to a friend of her's and we all stayed together during the trip. His name is Severus Snape. I was a bit shy at first because it was all to new for me but then they told me they felt that way too and we had a really good time! Mabye it's too soon but I think I have made some new friends... When we arrived at the castle (which is incredibly big and magical) and had a little tour around it, we entered a big big hall. It is really huge! All the students were there and sat in four different tables. A boy called James told me it was the "Sorting Ceremony". He said it is were all the new students get sorted in one of the four school houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. I was so nervous about it! I thought someone would give us a test but instead, a teacher called our names and we had to sit on a chair where everyone could see us. When she called my name, I sat there and then someone put a hat on my head. But it wasn't an ordinary hat, this one could actually talk! And he said to me "Oh, look at what we have here! Lots of bravery, and chivalry but also lots of wit and creativity... Where shall I put you? You could go to Gryffindor... or Ravenclaw... Hmm..." He kept thinking for ar least five minutes! Then, he said: "Dear, you really are a tough one... I shall take into account the meaning of your name... You'll go to Ravenclaw!" Lots of students cheered and told me to sat at their table... Then I watched how Lily got sorted into Gryffindor, as well as that boy James, and Severus into Slytherin. It looks like we won't be together that much, but at least we can meet during break-time and lunch."_

Severus put the parchment down and stared at the ceiling. It looked like if he wanted to recall that moment in his life. This old diary belonged to someone whom he cared about a lot. It belonged to a friend he had had at Hogwarts, apart from Lily.

He realised it was six o'clock in the morning, and decided to get some rest. This would be much longer what he had expected, but it was worth it.

He had Sofia's old diary to help him.


	2. The Dream

Hello reader! I am so sorry for this EXTREMELY late update but I just had the biggest writer block (I also had a lot of tests) and then one day I was so inspired that I wrote Chapter 2 and Chapter 3! Well, I hope you can forgive me and enjoy this next chapter.

Jane S. Gold

Three hours later, he woke up. He was extremely tired, but he knew that once he had got up, we wasn't going to be able to sleep again until nightime. This was the reason why he didn't take naps, unlike most of the people of his age.

He had slept in the Slytherin Common Room, since no one was currently living there, and the rooms were larger than his office (where he slept during school term). All the books that had been once in the Defence Against the Dark Arts clasroom were now scattered throughout the Common Room.

The night before, he had been writing down with extreme detail every dream he had had ever since he realized it was meant to mean something. Now, he was remembering the first one:

_He was at Hogwarts, carrying some books. He was doing his trip to the greenhouses, when a beautiful music started to sound. Although he could hear it, it seemed as if no one else could. And then, surrounded by a bright light, a small, shiny, sky-blue butterfly appeared and landed on his hand. It had green emerald lines that merged with the sky-blue spots, and made it the most beautiful creature ever. But, suddendly, the music stopped. He saw the butterfly in his hand getting smaller, until it transformed into a silvery locket hanging from a silver chain._

_Then, he appeared in another place. He was in a dark room, strangely familiar. He heard voices, a man and a woman, coming from a room upstairs. _

_"Well, well, well, look who we have here. Are you surprised to see me?" said the man, sarcastically._

_"You wish! Why did you drag me here? I told you, I don't want anything to do with you! I don't own the information you want!"_

_"Liar! Crucio!" The woman screamed._

_Severus went up the stairs, trying not to make any sound. _

_"Tell me where it is!" The man was pointing his wand to that poor woman, lying on the floor. He couldn't identify them, he only saw a man wearing a black cloak with a hood covering his face._

_"Fair enough, you don't want to tell me now... But soon you will! Until then, Crucio!" The woman was writhing on the floor, unable to stop the suffering. Then, she lifted her head, and he saw her face. Although it seemed as if he had never seen her before, something inside him made him burst in fury. He tried to run and help her, but his feet wouldn't let him. He saw he was still holding the butterfly necklace. The man cried "Crucio!" again, and Severus noticed the butterfly was turning red. He wanted to run to her, he wanted to kill that man, whoever he was, he wanted him to leave her alone. He couldn't stand that she was being tortured._

And in that moment, he had woken up. These dreams were always the same, Hogwarts, the music, the butterfly, the man, the woman, the necklace. It looked like if someone wanted to tell him something...

Severus had only seen that butterfly necklace once. When he was at his second year at Hogwarts, he used to spend time with Lily, since she was his only friend, but sometimes a friend of Lily's joined them. She was a Ravenclaw that he had met in his first day at school. She was a very nice person, and used to hang out with Lily and other Gryffindors. She was also very creative and loved to read. Her name was Sofia.

Once, Slytherins and Ravenclaws had Potions together. Proffesor Slughorn divided them in pairs, putting Severus and Sofia toghether. The project consisted of brewing a Swelling Solution and a Sleeping Draught. They were supposed to start that day with the Sleeping Draught, and so they did. Severus was really good, and often had a few tricks, as well as his mate. They both excelled at Potions. By the end of the class, they were the only ones who had actually done it right. They were about to leave, but some Slytherins came across Sofia and made her drop all her books. Severus went to help her, and soon they were the only ones in the classroom. She always used to wear a blue and bronze scarf around her neck, but she had taken it so it wouldn't interfere in their potion. They were on the floor, about to pick the last book, when their hands met. He lifted his face and there he saw it. A butterfly necklace, hanging from her neck. He saw that it was turning light pink, and she clearly noticed him watching, so she said:

"It was my mother's. It's called a 'Mood Changing Necklace'. As you might guess, it changes its colour, depending on how I am feeling." She blushed when she saw the necklace getting more and more pink. There was an awkward silence when they were getting up, but soon Snape broke it, saying: "We should hurry up, or else we'll be late for Defence Against the Dark Arts". And so they did.

That was as far as Severus' memory could remember. "A Mood Changing Necklace", he thought. Yes! In his dream, he saw the butterfly changing its colours. When the man talked, it was black and he could feel it getting colder in his hand. But when the woman was being tortured, the black changed to red and the cold vanished. Instead, the locket burned in his hand.

That woman. It was her. Sofia. It was her friend.

But she didn't mention it in her diary. He spent the rest of the day in the library, searching for a clue. Something to take him to the next level. He searched the entire Restricted Section, but with no good results. He turned the library upside down, and still he couldn't find anything useful. Being midnight, he went to sleep.

_"Ask him to tell you the story... It will help you... Find it... You know what I mean... Severus, dear, there's not much time left... Please, hurry!"_

Snape woke up. His heart racing as if he had run for miles. He was breathing exhaustingly. It was raining, and the window was open. He went to close it and, in that precise moment, he grasped what had just happened. He took his wand, whispered "Lumos!", and went down the stairs. He was walking down the corridor, when he heard footsteps. Attentively, he said "Who's there?". No one answered. There was silence. Then he heard them again, and when he was turning his head to where the noise came from, Dumbledore appeared.

"What are you doing Severus? Strolling in the middle of the night?"

"No Sir, I was... I was... It doesn't matter, I'll go back to my room and-"

"I'll tell you the story. Come to my office."

Severus, confused and thunderstruck, followed the Headmaster to his office. Dumbledore said "Chocoball", and the Griffin gargoyle let them in. He sat behind his desk and Severus just stayed there, speechless.

"You've been having some strange dreams in the past days, haven't you?" asked Dumbledore, watching Snape's expression while he listened to him.

"Er... Yes... But how do you know that? Do you know what it's supposed to mean?" Snape hated to ask for Dumbledore's help, although this was a matter of much concern to him and needed to gather as much information as possible.

"Let me answer you with another question, do you know the legend of the 'Anima Locket'?

"No, I'm not familiar with it Sir"

"Then sit down please, and pay attention for this might be very important"

With a puzzled look, Snape sat down. Dumbledore made a sign and Fawkes brought to him what looked like a very old manuscript.


End file.
